After debuting her cover of “Famine” at a sold-out Roundhouse show in London, Kate Nash releases the track today as a single, featuring a new original verse. Kate also performs the tin whistle on the song, notably her first instrument.
Listen to "Famine" HERE
Watch the video co-directed by Kate Nash HERE
Kate holds dual nationality, her mother was born in Dublin and she has long explored and expressed her Irish heritage in her work. Following Sinéad’s passing in 2023, Kate revisited her discography and was struck by “Famine”, a song which fused spoken word, hip-hop and heartache that broke through decades of silence surrounding one of Ireland’s deepest wounds, the Great Hunger. Kate valued O’Connor’s ability to illuminate a history she had never been taught in school or at home. By covering the song, Kate hopes to continue amplifying Sinéad’s words. “If there is ever going to be healing, there has to be remembering, then grieving, so that there can be forgiving there has to be knowledge and understanding.”
Today, the song feels as relevant as ever. As nationalism rises in the UK and globally, “Famine” speaks to a broader truth - that many of us lack a full understanding of our own countries’ histories, and that greater awareness could lead to a more compassionate society.
Over the last decade, Kate has increasingly turned inward, exploring her family history in both Ireland and the UK, seeking connection with those who came before her, and a deeper sense of truth and human connection. This song isn’t an accusation, it’s an invitation to interrogate our histories both personal and national in the pursuit of greater understanding, empathy, and education.
The release is accompanied by a video co-directed by Kate Nash, shot by Jude Harrison and edited by Harrison and Ryan Baxley. For the video Kate has collaborated again with artist and activist Tia O’Donnell, who embroidered the phrase “The English Don’t Know Their History” onto a duvet, later hung outside Parliament and other locations.
“I was inspired by the phrase: “The English can't remember history, while the Irish can't forget it.” I hold dual nationality and was never educated about An Gorta Mór, either at school or within my family. I believe this absence of education creates a gap in understanding and connection between English and Irish people. A lack of knowledge can lead to people feeling misunderstood, disrespected, or humiliated, which makes this a sensitive, important, and timely issue to address and pertinent to today and the conversation surrounding immigration, war and the growing rise in nationalism.
Sinéad O’Connor sang, “If there is ever going to be healing, there has to be remembering, then grieving, so that there can be forgiving, there has to be knowledge and understanding.” I strongly agree that education is a crucial step towards peace. I would not be the artist I am today without Sinéad’s perspective, her bravery and sensitivity. My intention is to honour her voice and continue to spread her message. Adding my own verse felt like a necessary responsibility as I was born in England and grew up here. I believe England must acknowledge its actions and history in order for true healing, understanding and growth to take place. I play tin whistle on the track which was my first instrument and the tune I’m playing is one of the first songs I ever learnt at my Primary School. There’s a nice sort of symmetry for me in retracing my own personal musical history to cover a song about this pivotal historical moment between Ireland and England, my two nationalities.” Kate Nash